Finance « Thurles Information

Former Tipperary Native & Financial Advisor Jailed For Six Years.

A former Tipperary native and financial advisor now residing at Richmond Avenue, Dartry, Dublin 6, who lost around €2 million of property investors’ funds in unauthorised stock market transactions has been jailed for six years.

Aged 52 years Mr William Kiely appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court earlier this year, but changed his plea to guilty on the 21st day of his trial. He pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly appropriating money from the accounts of Barrington Capital Ltd, between 2007 and 2010. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the theft involved $1.47 million and around €700,000.

Mr Kiely also pleaded guilty to knowingly carrying on the business of a company, (Barrington Capital Limited), with intent to defraud creditors between July 2008 and February 2010. He further pleaded guilty to falsifying a financial statement on March 12th, 2010.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Mr Kiely set up a legitimate investment operation, the aforementioned Barrington Capital Ltd, to purchase commercial property in the United States of America. Following the 2008 global financial crash, he failed to return all of the money which had been intended to purchase property; instead and without investor authorisation used some of it on the stock market, which was unsuccessful.

Having heard the facts of the case on Friday last, Judge Elma Sheahan stated that Mr Kiely had a high degree of culpability; the financial losses they suffered and the impact on their emotional well-being were all aggravating factors in the case and the harm caused to the injured parties was truly significant. The court heard that much of the funds went towards lifestyle expenses unrelated to the business and Kiely had also paid himself an amount each month. Mr Kiely also falsified a financial statement back in March 2010, which set out expenses on the account and what was left, however, at this point the funds were completely depleted.

Mr Kiely received a six year jail sentence and has also been automatically disqualified from serving as a director of any company for five years.

Thurles Municipal District Enhancement Grant.

Thurles Municipal District Enhancement and Painting Grant 2025.

Thurles Municipal District Council, is seeking to improve the streetscape and public realm of Thurles Town, Templemore Town and Roscrea Town, through supporting owners of buildings in improving and enhancing their properties and public areas generally, by such means as, but not limited to:-

Removal of inappropriate contemporary signage, fittings, and general clutter and replacement with shop fascia signage (with an emphasis on hand-painted signage).
Painting and general improvements to the frontages of commercial and residential buildings.
Erection of planters, floral hanging baskets, or other environmental improvements.

Application Forms: Same can be obtained by email to una.osullivan@tipperarycoco.ie.

Further Information: Telephone: +353 (0)818 06 5000, during hours 9:30am to 4:30pm.

St Patrick’s Weekend- Thurles Supermarket Trading Hours.

For those of you planning on heading to the shops this weekend, hereunder, please find opening and closing times of your main Thurles Town supermarkets, over this 2025 St Patrick’s weekend.

**Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary**.
*Pic: G. Willoughby*.

St Patrick’s weekend 2025:	Aldi Opening Hours	Dunnes Store Opening Hours	Lidl Opening Hours	Tesco Opening Hours	SuperValu Opening Hours
Friday 14th	08:00-22:00	08:00 – 21:00	08:00-22:00	08:00-21:00	08:00-21:00
Saturday 15th	08:00-22:00	08:00 – 19:00	08:00-22:00	08:00-21:00	08:00-21:00
Sunday 16th	09:00-21:00	09:00 – 19:00	09:00-21:00	09:00-20:00	09:00-09:00
Monday 17th	09:00-21:00	09:00 – 19:00	09:00-21:00	10:00-19:00	08:00-10:00

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste, while enjoying this upcoming bank holiday weekend.”

Hydroelectric Energy Project For Tipperary Takes A Step Forward.

An Bord Pleanála has confirmed that proposed plans to establish a €650m hydroelectric pumped storage power project, to be located at the former mine site at Silvermines, Co. Tipperary, has been now been deemed developed enough to enter the permit granting process for ‘Projects of Common Interest’, latter an essential infrastructure project regarded as aimed to strengthen European energy markets, thus assisting EU energy and climate goals.

The appeals board will now evaluate the project under an EU procedure which aims to streamline the consenting process for trans-European energy projects.

This Silvermines Hydroelectric Energy Storage Project, when eventually operational, is expected to store as much as 296 Megawatts (MW), with a daily storage capacity of up to 2,175MWh of electricity, same sufficient to power 185,000 households or 21,000 small businesses daily in Ireland.

Not a new idea, but like the existing ESB Turlough Hill (292 MW) Power Plant in Co. Wicklow, first commenced in 1968, this project will see water pumped from one source, starting at ground level and delivered to a reservoir higher up, which in turn will then be released through turbines that in turn generate electricity.

The 148-hectare (366 acre) site, chosen for the project, in Co. Tipperary is situated on the Northern ridge of the Silvermines Mountain range and was first proposed initially some 9 years ago.
The project, when first made public in January of 2016, suggested that wind energy, from a wind farm on the site would be deployed at night time, during periods of less demand, to pump the water from the downhill lake to the uphill storage area.

This Silvermines Hydro project is being developed and managed by Siga-Hydro Limited, an Irish company based in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, working with the Foresight Group, a global infrastructure investor.

Accounts for a connected firm, Silvermines Tipp Hold Co Ltd, shows that it received a capital injection of €14.5m in 2023. It is estimated that the project will create some 400 jobs during its construction phase and employ as many as 50 qualified personnel in the pumping hydro station, during its operational phase.

Following the announced permit granting procedure, An Bord Pleanála will now make a final decision on the project.

EPA Announce Funding Of €14.5m For New Research.

EPA Announce Funding Of €14.5m For New Research To Address Climate & Environmental Challenges.

EPA announces funding of €14.5 million for 25 new research projects to address climate and environmental challenges.
EPA funding is building essential research capacity in Ireland with 50 per cent of applications in 2024 submitted by researchers new to the EPA Research Programme.
The funding supports research in the areas of climate change, the natural environment, the green & circular economy and the environment & human health.
Reflecting the need for cross-sectoral research, the EPA is working in partnership with Met Éireann and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to co-fund a number of the research projects.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced new funding for environmental and climate research in Ireland, with funding of €14.5 million awarded for 25 new research projects. These innovative, policy-relevant projects will address key knowledge gaps and support the development of vital research capacity in strategically important areas.

The latest EPA Research Call garnered a strong response, with 50 per cent of successful lead researchers not having previously applied to the EPA for funding. This is a welcome and positive trend that reflects a broadening of the research base in Ireland relevant to environmental and climate issues.

Projects that will receive EPA funding this year include topics such as:

Attribution of weather events to climate change.
Exploring Irish people’s attitudes and values around climate change.
Investigating the risk of exposure to chemicals in foodstuffs.
Susceptibility and resistance of trees to diseases such as ash dieback.
Novel approaches to managing textile waste.
Mitigating the risks posed by electronic waste (WEEE).

Announcing the funding awards, Ms Laura Burke, EPA Director General said: “Our latest EPA State of the Environment Report highlights the scale of challenges facing Ireland and the need for determined action across climate, , sustainable consumption, biodiversity and pollution goals. This new EPA funding will help to build the vital research talent and knowledge needed in Ireland to respond to these challenges and achieve a healthier environment. I congratulate the successful research teams and look forward to seeing the positive impacts these projects will have on environmental protection in the years ahead.”

The latest EPA funding is significant in terms of further building the environmental research capacity in Ireland. It will support almost 200 research staff across 10 organisations, including funding for approximately 50 PhD and postgraduate students. Crucially, the EPA will provide hands-on support and training to the researchers to facilitate the uptake of the research outputs by policy makers and other users. Trinity College Dublin (TCD) received the highest number of successful research awards in 2024.

Dean of Research at Trinity College Dublin, Prof. Sinéad Ryan, commented: “I offer my warm congratulations to our researchers and their teams on securing this EPA funding. This funding is a key enabler for research across a number of our disciplines with a focus in conservation, sustainability and/or climate adaptation. I commend our researchers for their vision and commitment to transformative research that addresses societal challenges, and I look forward to seeing these projects develop.”

Reflecting the importance of collaboration in addressing climate and environmental challenges, the EPA is working in partnership with Met Éireann and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to co-fund a number of the projects.

The list of Funding Awards made under the EPA Research Call 2024 is available on the EPA website with full project details in the EPA’s online Research Database.

The EPA Research Programme is a Government of Ireland initiative funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The EPA Research Call 2025 will open for applications in April 2025. Details will be made available on the EPA website.